Valentine's Day
by Ludi
Summary: Rogue plans on having some 'me time' by taking a trip to Valle Soleada, only to find she isn't the only one to have the same idea. Short but sweet Romy fluff, set after the Rogue & Gambit miniseries.


**Note:** _Just a little fluff fic I wrote for Valentine's Day. It was originally posted on Tumblr - this is the fully edited version. It's set after the current Rogue Gambit miniseries. Even if I don't know what the hell is gonna happen in it. XD_

* * *

 **Valentine's Day**

She didn't often take time out.

There was always _something_ occupying her, teaching or superheroing or mentoring or shopping or organising or hanging out with friends... Training and sparring and conferring with teammates over strategy, policy, PR and legal issues… And then tied up with all that was study, keeping up with case law, preparing the classes she'd taken on, marking assignments and doing student benchmarking...

Really. It'd been a long, _long_ time since she'd had some downtime, since she'd found time to just kick back and have a moment to herself. Honestly, she was wound up so tight these days, she was beginning to fear she was on the verge of losing it.

"Take some time off," Kitty had said to her. "Go on vacation."

And she'd scoffed and said:

"But I'm needed here."

"Rogue," Kitty had said in that headmistress voice she was becoming so accomplished at using, "you're no good to us on the verge of a mental breakdown. You need some time to relax, to reset yourself. When was the last time you took a holiday?"

She'd stared blankly at the wall. For the life of her she couldn't remember.

"See?" Kitty had piped up pointedly. "Look. Take a break. Go somewhere nice. Somewhere you can relax. Bermuda. The Seychelles. I went to Lisbon last summer. It was gorgeous. And everyone speaks awesome English. You'll love it!"

She'd frowned. Somehow she didn't feel she was _allowed_ to relax. How messed up was that?

"I dunno, Kit-Kat..."

"Rogue," came the severe reply, " _Go_. That's an order."

"Oh yeah? Or what?"

"Or I tell Gambit you need some time off, and get him to book you _both_ on a dirty weekend away."

Well, _that_ had sealed the deal. She'd stomped off in a huff, and once she'd got back to her room, she booked herself some holiday. Three days – not _too_ long, but enough to keep Kitty from making good on her threat.

A few days later and here she was.

Valle Soleada, standing in front of the house Irene had left her.

It was a long time since she'd been here. She'd half considered selling it, or renting it out, but for some reason she never had. Standing here, on this lazy California beach with the sun pounding down on her, she was reminded why. There were few places she'd truly felt at ease, at peace. Some of the happiest moments of her life had taken place here, moments that now seemed so bittersweet. It was that bittersweetness that had made her reluctant to return, that had kept her away so long. But now... She was glad she was back. She felt liberated, free from the cares and responsibilities that came with all the superheroics that were her business.

She gave a little smile to herself and walked the wooden steps up to the veranda. She felt in the pocket of her denim cut-offs for the keys and unlocked the door. When she stopped inside the vestibule she was surprised at how fresh and inviting everything seemed. She paid a maid to come and take care of the place every week, just to keep it in a liveable condition, with the intention of spending more time here than she actually did. She didn't regret the decision now.

She dumped her bags in the hallway and immediately went straight out the back door and onto the beach. A warm sea breeze hit her, the sound of the waves washing over the shore a glorious soundtrack that she realised she'd missed. How many times had that sound lulled her to sleep at night as she'd lain in the warmth of his embrace?

She half frowned, half smiled. The memories were pleasant yet... irritating. Irritating because they were so damn perfect, and she'd been stupid enough to let perfection go.

 _Things change, gal_ , she told herself sternly. But some things didn't, and trying to make sense of the stew left behind was something she'd never been particularly good at.

She gave a sigh and headed back indoors. Now she was second-guessing herself, wondering whether she could brave heading into certain areas of the house, but she figured she was a big girl and if she didn't face this now she never would.

So she picked up her bags and climbed the stairs up to the bedroom, gently opening the master bedroom door.

She'd slept in here once since they'd left. She'd taken some time out after the whole Legacy thing, trying to re-orientate herself. After one night in their bed she'd moved to one of the guest bedrooms, finding the ghost of his presence a distraction from the purpose of her visit. It hadn't changed much since then. The maid did a great job keeping everything dust and dirt free. A light fragrance filled the air and she realised her housekeeper had left a cute little bowl of pot pourri on the dresser. She laid her bags down on the bed and peered into the closet. Her leathers were still hanging up in there, and she gave a wry grimace. Somehow, it felt like a different person had worn them.

She wasn't sure where _his_ old X-Treme uniform was. She'd definitely seen him wearing the boxing boots once or twice since, but the rest... …

She shook her head and closed the closet, moving on.

The curtains were closed and so she went on over and opened them up, throwing the window open too while she was at it. The room was suddenly filled with light and air and the scent of the sea, and she breathed it in with relish.

That was when she heard a sound. Floorboards creaking down the corridor.

Her senses were immediately alert, and she crossed the room back to the door, the adrenaline kicking in, her muscles getting ready for a fight. The footsteps were suddenly right outside the door, and she was just about to yank the handle down when it swung right open and slammed into the wall with a bang.

She gaped.

In the doorway was Remy LeBeau.

"R-Remy?!" she exclaimed; and she might've believed this was all just a dream until he cried in exactly the same tone of voice:

"Rogue?!"

"I thought you were in intruder!" they both cried at the same time, which shut them up for a few seconds. She took the moment to glare at him, standing there in sweatpants and a T-shirt with bleary eyes and a bedhead. It was clear she'd literally just woken him up.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him testily, cross that he'd spoiled her vacation yet again.

"On vacation," he answered in an equally sour tone – he was probably thinking the exact same thing.

"So am I," she huffed. "And this is my house."

"So?" he grumbled. "I got here first. Got everything unpacked and I stocked up the fridge and all. So I ain't goin' nowhere, if that's what you're suggestin'."

She growled. There was no way in hell she was leaving now, not for his benefit.

"Fine," she said. "Just... don't get in my way. Okay?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Oh right. I'm the one should be sayin' that to _you_ , chere. _You're_ the one goin' round makin' noise and spoilin' my beauty sleep."

"It ain't my fault you're such a light sleeper!" she groused. "I could drop a pin and you'd hear it! Remember that time when—"

She quickly caught herself mid-sentence. He saw the look and smirked.

"No need t' say it, petite. I know what you're thinkin'."

She blushed. The only things to come out of that little incident had been the discovery that Gambit could not be handcuffed to a bed without being woken up (one accidental little jangle of the chain had had him sitting bolt upright in a flash), and a couple of days' worth staggering around because all sorts of unmentionable muscles were unbearably sore.

"Look," she began, chastened out of her bad mood by the memory. "Truth is, I came here to unwind, to have a little space to myself for a couple of days. I was kind of expectin' to be on my own... But I ain't gonna throw you out on your ear, Cajun, and it's nothin' personal. Just... lemme have my own space and we're good. Okay?"

With him, honesty was always pretty much the best policy – ironic, considering the trouble he had with it himself. He put up his hands with an agreeable little smile.

"A'right. I'll keep outta your hair, if that's what you want. Don't wanna get in the way of your 'me time'."

He backed off slowly, but the smile on his face told her he wasn't being sarcastic. After the turmoil and angst their relationship seemed to have been in recently, it was a welcome relief.

"Thanks," she said softly.

"No problem." He half turned to leave, before adding with a pointed look at her: "Yah need anythin', I'm in the guest room down the hall. Where Sam used t'stay."

And with that he left.

-oOo-

After that it was useless to have any 'me time'. Not because she found his presence off-putting per se, but because suddenly she was trying to analyse everything.

She wondered why he was sleeping in Sam's old room and why he was even here at all. She wondered why seeing him here had rattled her so much and why she'd been so defensive. Since their time in Paraiso things had been… _good_ between them. The last thing she'd wanted to do was spoil that.

It was just that he had endless ways of catching her unawares, of getting up under her skin without even meaning to.

Honestly, she'd come here to be by herself. But now she felt guilty for insinuating that him being here offended her. She didn't want him to think that, because it wasn't what she felt. The past few weeks things had changed between them, for the better… And she didn't want to lose that. It just felt… weird… not to be slapping away his affection at every turn because of her own fears, her own inadequacies, and really… He hadn't even offered any affection. Even if she secretly knew that he was always offering it, with a simple smile or a glance.

Besides, she couldn't stay cooped up in here like this, not in their old room. It was only bound to make things _worse_.

So she sighed and left, headed out and down the corridor to Sam's old room. She gave a knock and when she heard his "come in!", she entered.

She was surprised to see he was packing.

"You're leavin'?" she asked.

"Yeah." Contrary to expectation, he didn't look put out by it. "Figured it'd be best. You're here for some space, and I'd just get in the way." He folded up a shirt and put it inside his duffel bag before standing straight and glancing at her. "Don't look at me like that, chere. I ain't angry 'bout it. Just don't wanna mess up your vacation. Or mine, neither."

 _That_ stunned her.

"You think we'd mess up each other's vacations?" She couldn't help looking a little hurt at that. "Remy, honestly… You don't haveta go. I'm sorry I sounded so… _pissed off_ back there. I didn't mean it."

He regarded her a moment, apparently turning her suggestion over in her head.

"Rogue," he finally spoke with sincerity. "We can both kid ourselves that you and I are gonna stay in this house and not 'disturb' one another, but seriously. You and I _both_ know _that_ ain't gonna happen."

She chewed on her lip. After what happened in Paraiso, he was probably right. The only thing was, she didn't think she'd mind so much anymore.

"Well, where're you gonna stay then?" she asked him.

"Oh, Paint and Jack'll let me sleep on their couch, if I promise to babysit their kids." He paused and glanced at her. "You remember Paint and Jack, right?"

This time she really _was_ offended.

"Of course I do!" She pouted. "Yah mean you're still in touch with them?"

"Well, yeah. I pay 'em both a visit every time I'm down here. They always ask after you. Keep on goin' on about seein' you on the TV wit' your Avenging friends. I tell 'em you're doin' great. Although most of the time, I don't really know."

There was a little bit of bitterness in that statement, but she'd barely heard it. Something else he'd said had caught her attention.

"Wait… … You said 'every time you visit'… … How often do you actually come down here?"

He shrugged, going back to his packing.

"Once every couple of months… For the same reason you're here. To get some time out. To be alone. To get a little perspective. To remember."

The last was lightly delivered, but said a lot more than any of the other stuff. She swallowed a breath. She was both touched and humbled to hear him admit that he came here often, and that a part of him came to remember what they'd shared. She was affected even more so that he'd maintained a life here, kept their old friends and probably hung out at their old haunts. It made her feel like she'd run away from just another good thing in her life, like she'd thrown away yet another something that could and should have made her happy.

"Okay," she finally said in a small voice. "Well, I'll feel better knowing you'll be stayin' with friends… I don't wanna turf ya out…"

"Rogue," he spoke firmly. "It's fine. Don't worry. Take some time out, relax. God knows you need it. Just promise me you won't do no work, okay? I jes' _know_ you brought those kids' assignments wit' you. If you take 'em out, I'm gonna steal 'em and hide 'em somewhere you ain't gonna find 'em."

He'd said it to make her laugh, but all she could manage was a faint smile.

"I won't, Remy. Promise."

Her ears were starting to rush and her heart was starting to pound, and it was becoming way too much for her to process, so she left.

-oOo-

She stood at the window of her room, _their_ room, and struggled with herself.

Why had she walked away? Why couldn't she be brave enough to open herself up to him and let him in? _Still_ , after all this time and all the ground they'd recently covered?

 _You love him,_ she told herself helplessly. _So go back and tell him. Tell him you don't want him to go._

The thought had her trembling, had her stomach in knots. She squeezed her eyes shut and breathed. She tried to talk herself into the thing she wanted most in the world. _How hard can it be to reach for the thing that you want?_

She'd almost psyched herself up to just go and do it when he got there before her. The door to their room opened softly, and quietly he crossed the floorboards and came up behind her. There was nothing so sweet or so comforting as the way his arms wrapped round her, the way he held her tight, the way he pressed his face into her hair.

And suddenly it was all bleeding out of her, the tightly coiled knot inside her was unwinding, and she was herself again, even if only for just a moment.

"D'you really want me to go?" he asked her, and she leaned back into him, shook her head.

"No."

And they stayed just like that for a while, watching the seagulls circling the sky and listening to the lullaby of the sea, just as they'd always done before.

"You do know what day today is, chere?" he murmured, brushing his lips in her hair. For a second she was nonplussed, until she remembered. Valentine's.

"Aw, geez," she muttered humorously. "Fate sure has a way of kickin' me in the ass."

"I dunno," he chuckled. "I think fate brought us here, together, on this very special day, for a reason." He propped his head on her shoulder. "Y'wanna work out what that reason might be?"

She twisted her head and gave him an arch look.

"Neither of us needs a reason, sugah," she bantered back. "Except that I love you; and I'm pretty sure that you love me."

"Amen to that, p'tite," he grinned; and they both laughed lightly before sharing the first of many kisses that night.

-END-


End file.
